A commentary published in the scientific journal Nature Medicine details an opportunity for precision medicine to “transform diabetes care worldwide.” UVA Health's website has the release.
The “leaders in the battle against diabetes” who penned the commentary note that “diabetes – particularly type 2 diabetes – is a far more complex and diverse disease than many people assume, with huge variations in its causes and effects and in patients’ responses to treatment.” Precision medicine, then, would “incorporate people’s lifestyles, diet, environment, behavior, and other factors to determine the best treatment options for each individual.”
However, there are “huge research gaps that need to be addressed” before precision medicine can be broadly incorporated. Doctors and scientists “need to develop more nuanced understanding of the subtypes of the disease, as well as identify new biological indicators (“biomarkers”) of those subtypes, the researchers say. Other urgent needs include finding ways to implement artificial intelligence in clinical care and ensuring that patients in lower-income countries are not left behind.”
An international group of investigators has already convened to “find ways to overcome the obstacles to precision medicine.” The conclusions reached so far include “that there is widespread interest and investment around the world in better understanding the many variations, or “heterogeneity,” in diabetes; there are important opportunities to leverage existing data about the disease and great need for more data on non-Europeans; and there is an urgent need to address the many research gaps that stand in the way of improving care for people around the world.”
